Covered package with headed closing member



May 6, 1958 F. J. LEFEBVRE COVERED PACKAGE WITH HEADED CLOSING MEMBER Filed Nov. 20, 1956' 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY 2 a f y 1958 F. J. LEFEBVRE 2,833,402

COVERED PACKAGE WITH HEADED CLOSING MEMBER Filed Nov. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United: States Patent Q GOVERED'PAGKAGE WITH HEADED CLOSING MEMBER Application November'20, 1956, Serial No. 623,367

1 Claim. (Cl. Z06-56) This invention relates to packages for small articles suchas tablets or for liquid, powder or paste.

Thepackage comprises in general an approximatelyflat, rectangular bag,- envelope or like container, preferably' formed of sheet material having athermoplastic coating, or formed of thermoplastic material, and a cover formed of a single strip of sheet material relatively stiffer than thatof which said container is formedl. The cover has one end portion folded around one end of the container and sealed thereto in a zone adjacent the fold, with the marginal '-endportion of the cover beyond the foldspaced'from the container, and with the body per-- tion of the-cover 'juxtaposedto 'oneside'of thecontainer andtolded around the other end thereof toforin a closure flapt This flap is of a size to cover the side-ofthe container opposite the body portion of thecover, and-itsedge may be'releasably tucked between-the marginal end' portiomofth'ecoVer adjacent the sealing zone and said container; so asto'be heldagainst unfolding. However, such'closure'flap-can be removed from beneath said marginal end portion and unfolded to open-thepa'ckage' When such packages are handled roughly, orwhen the' contents 'of' the container are bulky'so that'it'is thick or r bulges at its opposite sides, said cover flap may be accidentally pulled or displaced from between the marginal end portion' of the coverand the container, so as to expose the latter. This would also hinder the free handling and storing of-the packages in cartons for shipment.

A primewbject of my-inventi'on is, therefore, to pro vide'a package; of the general-nature above discussed; with novel and improved means for-initially positive securing the cover flap in closed position without'the' use of separate fastening means;

Another object of my invention is to proVi'de'such a r package constructed'so' as to permit quick, forcible release of the'cover flap to open the package and, there after; permitthe cover flapto be releasably tucked-hetween said-marginal end portion otthe coverand the container-for closing the package.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a package wherein one of the cover flaps shall beformedinitially with a shouldered headed or prongedtab' projecting from its free edge and latchably received in a properly positioned slot of suitable length-formed in another portion of the cover, to initially securely hold the-package closed, said projection being desirably, bifurcated or double so as to be contractably slidable with shouldered portions thereofoverlying one another'for insertion in the slot, and thereafter expansible. tocoplanar position'for latching engagement at bothend's of said slot.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention,

' opposite the attaching edge portion 17.-

2,833,462 Patented May 6 1958 reference being bad for the latter .purpose to the appended claim;

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

Figure l is a perspective view of the package in folded or closed position;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1, in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure l, but show ing the package in open position;

Figure .4 is a transverse sectional view of the package of Figure 3, on the plane of the line 4- -4 thereof;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the front of the package, showing it in'the processof being latchedlshut; Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view from the rear on the plane of the line 6- -6 of Figure ers, 11 and 12, of suitable flexible material suchas cellophane, pliofilm, metallic foil, paper or the like; Such material may be thermoplastic itself or have a thermo= plastic or fusible coating, so that the juxtaposed layers can 'be' caused to seal together upon the application of heat and pressure. As an alternative the layers-may be sealed together by the use of an adhesive. As'shown; the layers are heat sealed and crimped inzons 13, forming and bounding compartments 14 between-the layers inwhieh a commodity such as tablets are enclosed; The container thus comprises a sheet of compartments;-each containing a tablet 25 and being. separable frorn'thesheet along scored or weakened lines 16. The sheet of com-" partments preferably has an edge portion '17 eirte'nding beyond the adjacent line of compartments and initially' unsealed.-

The cover B comprises asin'gle strip of 'sheetmaterial, suchas'heavy paper or cardboard,"that isrelatively stiffer than'the layers of which the container A is formed-.- This cover comprises a body portion 18' juxtaposed to one side of the container A and foldedat'19 around the edge portion 17 of the container to form a container-attaching flap 21. This flap is desirably secured adjacent to the fold to the container A as, for example, by the application of heat and pressure where the layers Hand 12 are'thermoplastic or have thermoplastic coatings; In doing this, the seal is efiected so that the transverse marginal edge portion of the flap is spaced fromthe container. The sealed zone is also desirably crimped, as indicated at 22.

The body portion 18' of the cover'B is approximatelythe saniesize as, but somewhat larger than, the co'ntainefA in length and breadth. At the end of the body" portion opposite the fold 19 there is another fold 23: in the'strip around the edge or end-of the" container Beyond the fold 23-is a closure flap portion 24 that'is-of asize and shape to coverthe side of the container A-oppo'site the body portion 18 of the cover. The .transvc'rseend edge zone of said closure flap 24 is adapted to be tucked into the space between the transverse marginal end portion of the container-attaching flap 21 and the container, as best seen in Figure 1 In order to provide for closed position, illustrated in Figure 1, I form one edge of the cover (desirably the upper edge of the portion 21 thereof as viewed in Figure 3), with a latching or locking member 25. This member is desirably double, that is, separated along the medial line 26. This cuts it into two prong portions, 27 and 28, each of which has a shank, 29 and 31, terminating in an enlarged prong or head, 32 and 33. In order to insure easy opening of the package, after latchingby the member 25, the shank is weakened or perforated along the lines 34 adjacent the heads 32 and 33, and along the lines 35 adjacent the fiap 21.

The manner of sealing or latching the package will be understood from a consideration of Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. The pronged portions 27 and 23 are first desirably bent to the position represented in Figure 5. In this position the heads 32and 33 are overlapped so as to be contracted to a width receivable in the slot 36 in the closure flap portion 24. This slot 36 is desirably of a length corresponding generally with, and only. slightly longer, than, the aggregate width of the shanks 29 and 31. This means that after the heads 32 and 33 pass through the slot 36 and are slid to the position of Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, the shouldered portions or barbs 37 and 38 of the head portions 32 and 33 lie beyond the ends of the slot 36 and lock or latch over the materialiof the closure flap portion 24, thereby holding the ,package securely closed or in the position illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7.

Although I have shown the heads of the locking member 25 as generally triangular in shape, yet it will be understood that these heads could be of other shapes. For example, the hypotenuse of each triangle could be curved so that said headwould generally resemble a quarter circle, or other suitable shape, just so there were provided barbs or shoulders 37 and 38 beyond the ends of the receiving slot 36 so as to produce the lockingaction illustrated.

In unsealing the package, the reverse operation could take place. manipulated from the position of Figure 1 through that of Figure and withdrawn, leaving the locking member intact. However, that would be a cumbersome operation and would not be necessary after the package was delivered to the customer. A simpler way would be to unseal the package in the manner illustrated in Figure 8, that is, by inserting a thumb or the like 39 underneath the shank portions 29 and 31 of the locking member 25, thereby severing or tearing them along the weakened or perforated line 34, leaving the heads 32 and 33 caught beyond the slot 36, and allowing for ready raising of the closure flap portion 24 to the position of Figures 3 and 4.

As an alternative, an insertion ofathumb or the like 39 under thelocking member 25 might tear said locking member along the weakened or perforated lines 35, thereby unsealing the package adjacent the container-attaching flap 21 rather than adjacent the slot 36.

Although I have illustrated the locking member 25 as extending from the free edge portion of the part 21 of the cover, yet as an unillustrated alternative it may extend from the free edge portion of the part 24 of said cover, be bent around the told 19, and inserted in a slot in the body portion 18 of the cover. Other wise the locking member may correspond with that here shown. However, I prefer the illustrated embodiment because it locks the package while the free edge portion of the part 24 underlies the free edge portion of the part 21, whereas in the suggested alternative this would not be the case.

That is, the heads 32 and. 33 could be.

holding the coverin the i It will be observed that, in accordance with my invention, there is provided a positive latching, sealing or locking of the closure flap 24 in shut position, while said closure flap is tucked under the container-attaching flap 21, thereby giving double sealing protection. It will also be seen that the invention provides for a simple and quick release of the closure flap from the crimped and sealed zone 22 without damage to either, so that thereafter the closure flap can be simply tucked between the container-attaching flap and the container for closing the package. In the claim I have used the term commodity container, to denote bags, envelopes or the like, containing a plurality of articles such as tablets, powder,

liquid or paste, as well as assemblages or groups of a commodity such as matches, held together in some other way.

Having now described my invention in detail in accordance with the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claim.

What I claim is:

A package comprising an approximately flat commodity container having outer thermoplastic surfaces, and a cover comprising a strip of flexible material having a fold providing a body portion with a container-attaching flap, one edge portion of said container being disposed in said fold in juxtaposition to said body portion and positively thermoplastically sealed directly to said body portion and to said container-attaching flap in a zone disposed inwardly of said fold, with the edge of said contamer-attaching flap spaced from said container, said body portion having a closure flap hinged at the end thereof opposite said container-attaching flap and of a size and shape to overlie the side of said container opposite said body portion, the free edge of the closure flap being tucked between the container and the free edge of the container-attaching flap to close the package, and means initially positively securing said closure flap in package closing position, said means including a slot in said closure flap and a locking member projecting from the free edge of the container attaching flap overlying said closure flap and latchably receivable in said slot to hold the closure flap in package closing position, the locking member being formed with parallel shank portions each provided with a head forming a shoulder at the end of the shank portion, said shanks being laterally slidably contractable so that the heads may overlie one another for insertion into the slot and thereafter are expansible to co-planar positions where said shoulders project, the slot being of a length adapted to receive said heads in relatively overlying condition and providing locking abutments therebeyond for said shoulders when the heads are in coplanar position, said shank portions being weakened between said heads and said container-attaching flap to provide for easy tearing of the locking member away from the cover to release the closure flap for opening the package.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,984,371 Hazard et al. Dec. 18, 1934 2,254,545 Roberts Sept. 2, 1941 2,289,824 Brogden July 14, 1942 2,305,428 Johnson Dec. 15, 1942 

